Lucknow is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy; Bar Wars is Back; China Develops Artificial Tongue to Test Pungency in Foods
Joanna Lobo rounds up all the biggest news in F&B in September-October 2025.
Would you want to have the most expensive coffee in the world? You can, if you have AED 3,600 (around Rs 87,000) to spare. A boutique cafe, Julith, in Dubai, is serving what may be the world's most expensive single cup of coffee, made from Nido 7 Geisha, a small Panamanian coffee.
The biggest news currently making waves, besides the victory of the Indian women cricket team at the World Cup, is about Lucknow. The city became the second Indian city to be named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy; after Hyderabad. We’ve always known Lucknow has great food — read our many stories about the city (a breakfast trail; inside a 190 year old sheermal shop, and #1000Kitchens features with home chef Taiyaba Ali, and Sheeba Iqbal).
Marriott International released its The Future of Food 2026, which explores how dining habits and preferences are changing across the Asia Pacific region. Key trends from the report include a shift from traditional fine dining toward casual luxury or ‘fine casual’, immersive and interactive dining experiences and a focus on native ingredients. In India, more diners are seeking experience-based dining, with a focus on local dishes.
Talking about the future of food, in China, scientists have have developed a “soft and flexible” artificial tongue for pungency perception. They were inspired by milk’s casein proteins, which bind to capsaicin and relieve the burn of spicy foods, and incorporated milk powder into a gel sensor. The technology could reduce reliance on human testers.
Danish chef Rasmus Munk of Alchemist in Copenhagen won Best Chef in the World at the 2025 Best Chef Awards; he first earned the title last year. This year’s awards also saw chef Himanshu Saini of Trèsind Studio in Dubai come in at number 3, and The New Entry Award went to Prateek Sadhu of Naar.
Rasmus Munk of Alchemist was crowned the World’s Best Chef.
India’s Prateek Sadhu won Best New Entry at the World Best Chef Awards.
A new study by researchers at the University of Oxford suggests that if the world embraces plant-based diets more, it could lower annual food production costs by nearly $1T.
McDonald’s will be introducing the 'Millet Bun Burger' in India, which was developed in collaboration with Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore.
Pop ups and events: The Return of Bar Wars, Soka Distills Bangalore in Cocktails
This November will see SOKA x Vāsané, a collaboration between Avinask Kapoli and artist Indu Antony that pairs cocktails with fragrances inspired by the city of Bengaluru, with drinks like Chai & Sponge Cake, Only God Can Judge Me (an homage to the Karaga festival’s temple scents).
SOKA x Vāsané, pairs cocktails with fragrances inspired by the city of Bengaluru.
Viva la Vino will return for Season 2 from October 2025 to February 2026.
The wine festival, Viva la Vino, returns for Season 2 from October 2025 to February 2026. It will travel through eight destinations — Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Jaipur, Goa, Kolkata and Mysore — and will include walk-around tastings, masterclasses, live performances, and more.
30 Best Bars India is taking bars SOKA, and Lair to Athens — to Naked and Taratsa — for takeovers, during Athens Bar Week 2025 in November.
Bar Wars by Greater Than Gin is back for its fifth edition, with regional rounds across eight cities that will lead to the national finale, where India’s best bar teams go head-to-head for a cash prize of ₹2,00,000 and a trip to the UK.
New Launches: Hyderabad has ‘dining destinations’; one8 Commune opens in Goa
Bengaluru: There is progressive Indian fare at Zarqash, The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore; speakeasy One Floor Down; Brix and Barrells is a new pet-friendly, two-level craft brewery with six signature beers; cocktail bar Bar Sama is a collaboration with Singapore’s award-winning Cat Bite Club; Marriott Executive Apartments Bengaluru UB City has Madras Kitchen; Loco Lane has games, a cocktail-forward bar, and an elevated dining experience; and the global restaurant, Kai, offers a 360-degree uninterrupted panorama of the city.
Madras Kitchen serves dishes rooted in the Madras Presidency.
Kai does global fare and offers a 360-degree uninterrupted panorama of the city.
Loco Lane is a multi-purpose space with a cocktail bar, and an elevated dining experience.
Mumbai: At ICONIQA Hotels, Mumbai International Airport, is Kadak, a progressive Pan-Indian restaurant; and Bombay Swim Club, a rooftop day club. The Silver Train is where Chef Anuradha Joshi Medhora (of Charoli Foods) creates food inspired by India’s palace kitchens. Sora by The Nines does elevated vegetarian food; Devangere Benne serves Kannada cuisine; Hom does fire-based cooking and progressive Indian fare; and SOPI (Subcontinent Origin Pizza Initiative) is a pizza speakeasy.
At The Silver Train, Anuradha Joshi Medhora shares food inspired by the palace kitchens.
Kadak is a progressive pan-Asian restaurant doing vegetarian fare.
Pune: The city has Kynd Café and Bar; and KMCY at the Sheraton Grand Pune Bund Garden Hotel for Asian fare.
Goa: The St. Regis Goa Resort launched Amocasa at Oliveto, reimagining the Japanese art of Omakase into an Italian sensibility. The newest brewpub is Lizard King Brewing Co., in Arpora. one8 Commune, will open its 16th outlet in November, offering global comfort food; and Tamalisto is a new boutique resort in Morjim with a seaside restaurant showcasing Mexican food.
Lizard King is the newest brewpub in Goa.
Nomme boasts a ‘coffee theatre’.
Asembli is multi-cultural space offering food curated by Varun Inamdar.
Delhi: Common Time is a contemporary café in Lodhi Colony; +(91) is focussed on regional Indian cuisine, the Westin Sohna Resort & Spa has Tangra-Tales of Chinatown; the Japanese restaurant, OJU; Vinci Ristorante with refined European cuisine; Madam Chow, the new Asian space from Oberoi, Gurgaon; chef Radhika Khandelwal’s all-day dining Trouble Trouble; and coming soon, Potions-Cocktail Theatre offering views of the Qutub Minar.
Everywhere else: Indore will see the launch of Masala Code, a pan-Indian restaurant by Chef Vedant Newatia; there is Peruvian Asian Sora in Ahmedabad; modern Indian fare at Firo, Chennai; and Olive Group opened it’s first restaurant Olive Café & Bar in Kolkata.
High Spirits: Pistola Wins Gold in US; Smoke Lab launches a Vodka with Gold Flakes
Maya Pistola Agavepura earned four accolades at the USA Spirits Ratings 2025 — the Reposado was crowned Spirit of the Year-India 2025 and received a gold medal with 95 points, the Añejo earned Gold with 92 points, Joven secured a Silver Medal with 89 points. Monarch Legacy Edition won a Gold at the Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) 2025. Vanaha gin was shortlisted in the ‘Innovation in Production’ category at The Spirits Business Awards 2025.
Smoke Lab launched Liquid Gold, a limited-edition vodka infused with 24-carat edible gold.
Monarch Legacy Edition won a Gold at the Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2025.
Geist Brewing Co’s first export-style craft lager.
Smoke Lab launched Liquid Gold, a limited-edition vodka infused with 24-carat edible gold flakes. Jerry’s Cocktails launched El Classico, a collaboration with Cazulo Premium Feni: a bottled feni cocktail. PURE by MONIN is a no-added-sugar range, available pan-India in four flavours — Mint, Red Fruits, Green Apple, and Peach Apricot. Geist Brewing Co. launched India’s first Export-Style Craft Lager—Geist Repeat Strong. Monika Alcobev announces the introduction of Licor 43 by Zamora Company.
Joanna Lobo is an independent journalist from Goa who enjoys writing about food, her Goan heritage, the freelance life, and other things that make her happy. She is also the Consulting Editor at Goya. Follow her on @thatdoggonelady.
ALSO ON GOYA
